The Primordial Survey: A Comparative Analysis of the Shan Hai Jing and Global Mythic Cosmographies

The Shan Hai Jing (山海經), or Classic of Mountains and Seas, represents one of the most significant and enigmatic artifacts of ancient Chinese literature and cartographic thought. While traditionally attributed to the era of Emperor Yu the Great (c. 2250 B.C.), modern philological analysis suggests a complex accretion of texts compiled between the 4th century B.C. and the early Han Dynasty. This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the text as a hybrid cosmography—functioning simultaneously as a practical inventory of mineral resources and a symbolic mapping of the "Other" at the world’s periphery. This study specifically explores the controversial Trans-Pacific Hypothesis, drawing direct topological and biological parallels between the "Eastern Mountains" of the text and the North American continent, including the Grand Canyon and indigenous species. Furthermore, it examines the cultural legacy of these ancient surveys, tracing their influence through the development of Chinese fiction, specifically Journey to the West, and comparing the work to global parallels such as the Babylonian Imago Mundi, the Egyptian Turin Papyrus, and the Roman Naturalis Historia. Keywords: Shan Hai Jing, Trans-Pacific Hypothesis, Grand Canyon, Comparative Mythology, Journey to the West, Ancient Cartography, Shamanism, Henriette Mertz.